The final concert in Lorin Maazel's cycle of four with the London Symphony
Orchestra coupled two works by Richard Strauss. Both the suite from Le
bourgeois gentilhomme and the Symphonia domestica are amongst
the least heard of Strauss' major works so it was inspired programming to
hear a concert featuring both in the same evening. But it might also account
for the fact that there were many more vacant seats in the hall than on previous
evenings.

Unlike the major Strauss tone poems - which are predominantly late nineteenth
century works - both Le bourgeois and the Symphonia are from
the twentieth century. The Symphonia was composed in 1902-03, about
the same time as Strauss' apocalyptic opera, Salome. We hear in this
symphony - played without a break between the artificially divided movements
- the Strauss' lovemaking, a day in the life of their child, the reappearance
of morning. Yes, the Domestica, so typical of the egotistical Strauss,
is an autobiographical work. And as in Salome, the love-music is
intoxicating and headily erotic. All of this was conveyed beautifully by
an LSO on rather decadent form, with voluptuous string playing and passionately
scented woodwind. Alexander Barantschik's gorgeous tone, in his fiendishly
scored solos, suggested a rather sweet Pauline - certainly more appealing
than the harridan we hear in Strauss' other autobiographical work, Ein
Heldenleben. It is, of course, all too good to be true. As the glockenspiel
strikes seven, we are awakened by the arguing of the parents and the build
up to the climax of the work. Here, the LSO brass were graphically raucous,
the massed strings uninhibited in their search for a satisfying end. When
it finally happened it was triumphant.

Earlier in the evening we had heard a much reduced LSO play Strauss' Baroque
inspired masterpiece, Le bourgeois gentilhomme. The nine basses needed
for the symphony are here reduced to two, the violins reduced to a mere five
and so on. And what we heard was chamber music playing of the most delicious
refinement. The figuration was busily played, and again the solo violin of
Alexander Barantschik was superbly delineated, with the most exposed of harmonics
gloriously sustained. Maazel's delicate conducting, spacious yet free, allowed
us to hear every one of the nine miniatures that comprise this work as if
freshly minted. The Fencing Master scene was dashingly played, the final
waltz for the Kitchen Boy spun off in an echt Viennese manner. It was a glorious
performance.

All the concerts I have heard in this remarkable series celebrating Lorin
Maazel's 70th birthday have one thing in common: a sense that making music
can be (and should be) pure enjoyment. The level of interaction between conductor
and orchestra has never been less than inspired and one feels both have enjoyed
the experience. Although Lorin Maazel can only have one seventieth birthday,
I hope he will find a reason to return to the LSO more often because I cannot
remember a series of concerts I have enjoyed more.

Marc Bridle

Seen&Heard is part of
Music on the Web(UK)Webmaster: Len Mullenger
Len@musicweb.force9.co.uk